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2013 Chevrolet Sonic

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2013 Sonic.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2013 Chevrolet Sonic is a passenger car whose service requirements are anchored by a 4.8-quart oil capacity and 5W-30 viscosity specification. Within the model's 2011–2020 production run, this particular year registers 217 owner complaints and six recalls, with the leading complaint area logged simply as "Unknown or Other"—a vague category that itself suggests no single subsystem dominates the ownership experience. Positioned well below the 2012 model year's peak of 353 complaints yet far above the inaugural 2011's lone reported issue, the 2013 sits between the Sonic's best and worst reliability years on record. For a researcher, that midpoint status, combined with the largely undefined nature of most logged complaints, makes the 2013 a useful but not flattering data point in tracking the model's overall trajectory.

Model year202020192018201720162015201420132012

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30OEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 55593191. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 47 · 525 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeTURBO P205/50R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter55593191 alt 25199750
Engine air filter96950990
Spark plug12681655 alt 12681656
Front wiper blades95228810 alt 42495284
Serpentine belt55565302 alt 55595700
Thermostat55565619 alt 25189205
Cabin air filter13271190 alt 13503677

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length173.2 in
Overall width68.5 in
Overall height59.8 in
Wheelbase99.6 in
Curb weight2727 lb
Track (front / rear)59.4 / 59.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Sonic of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.10 sec — 2013 RS Turbo 5-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2013RS Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.10 sec16.30 sec138 hpFWD
2013RS Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.10 sec16.40 sec138 hpFWD
2012LTZ Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-47.80 sec16.20 sec138 hpFWD
2012LTZ Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.10 sec16.10 sec138 hpFWD
2012LTZ Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.10 sec16.40 sec138 hpFWD
2012LTZ Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.20 sec16.50 sec138 hpFWD
2012LTZ Turbo 5-door Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.50 sec16.60 sec138 hpFWD
2014RS Turbo Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-48.20 sec16.40 sec138 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.8 qt of 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.7-5.8
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.8 qt
Engine Oil5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.3 qt
Engine Oil5W-30

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs71 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs71 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts5.9 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.028 in
Spark Plug Torque18.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.028 in
Spark Plug Torque18.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.1 lbs
Oil Capacity3.7 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief20 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature194-221 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50-94
RPM43-58 @ Idle rpm

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH RPO J93, J94 / WITH RPO JPW, J97
Torque Caliper to Bracket21 ft-lbs / 20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle74 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.055 in
Brake ApplicationWITH RPO J93, J94 / WITH RPO JPW, J97
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0008 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
170 ft. lbs., step 2: 45 degrees, step 3: 1570 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts.

126.0 ft. lbs.26 ft. lbs
2180 degrees180 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Use new bolts coated with clean engine oil. Tighten all bolts to finger tight then continue on with the following procedure.

118.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
490 degrees90 degrees
545 degrees45 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 60,000 mi.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 97,500 miTiming Belt (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Clutch Hydraulic System (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2013 Sonic sits near the peak of a sharp decline in federal complaints, falling from 353 complaints in 2012 to 217 in 2013 and then continuing down to 149 by 2014. Its recall count also dropped modestly, from seven in 2012 to six in 2013, while investigations fell from two to one, indicating a narrowing of systemic issues. Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) rose slightly to 1,725 in 2013 after a dip in 2012, but the overall trend of decreasing TSBs continues through 2020, suggesting that most known problems were being addressed. The top complaint categories for 2013—“Unknown or Other,” Engine, Power Train, and Air Bags—show a spread rather than a single dominant defect, and the vehicle logged 24 crash‑related and four fire‑related complaints, modest figures relative to earlier years. Overall, 2013 represents a turning point toward fewer complaints and recalls, making it a comparatively safer used‑car year within the Sonic generation.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1725
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
217
Owner complaints
24 involved a crash · 4 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 217 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other30
Engine25
Power Train24
Air Bags17
Electrical System17
Engine & Engine Cooling5
Service Brakes5
Steering4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V257000Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.Reported 28/04/2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax vehicles and 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chevrolet…

14V417000Equipment:ElectricalReported 02/07/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1725 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIP4902U2026-01-08Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT5214G2025-11-20Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Sonic. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 47 batteryVehicles taking 4.8 qtEngine oil filter 55593191Engine air filter 96950990Spark plug 12681655Front wiper blades 95228810

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2013 Sonic take?

4.8 qt of 5W-30 ONLY USE ENGINE OIL MEETING GM DEXOS 1 SPECIFICATION., per the factory manual.

Does the 2013 Sonic have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.